A declaration in defence of the Constitution

I support this declaration

Jonathan Hyslop
Professor of Sociology and History
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

I endorse this declaration. These leaders (ANC youth league and COSATU) are shameful, They should use right platform to address their issues not to promote killing. I dont have respect to these guys, they should be ashamedof themselves.

Dear Kadar,

I fully support your "Declaration in Defense of the Constitution". I believe that there are thousands of South Africans who share your concerns and will support your call. Thousands of people in the past two years have marched, submitted declarations and have demonstrated (some unfortunately violently) throughout the length and breath of this land. People have voiced there concerns on a range of issues, from the lack of delivery, job losses, crime, to corruption in our civil service and big business. Some of those who marched were delegated to attend the ANC conference in Polokwene and they made their voices heard in that forum.

A few weeks ago Jay Naidoo, in response to media pressure, expressed his views on the crisis facing South Africa and pleaded for us as a country to take drastic action. Now you have added your voice to the howl of criticism at what some have termed the "irresponsible" actions of people who you and I would address as our comrades. But the time has come for us to distinguish between good and bad comrades and assert our rights as citizens.

I would like to draw your attention to my response to Jay Naidoo on SAhistory's new blog at www.historymatters.org.za. I argued that we need is to convene a national indaba where civil society organisations can impress on our political formations and in particular the ANC leadership our concerns about the state of our justice system, the growing inequality in our society, Zimbabwe, the rapidly disfunctional education and health system, the endemic violence, the deterioating race relations, xenophobia and most important of all, growing poverty and unemployment.

I believe that we need to demonstrate to the new government that we care. That we need an ongoing but structured conversation to begin addressing the problems facing us as South Africans. We need to impress the government, labour, and business that we need to rededicate ourselves as a people to the eradication of inequality, poverty, fighting racism and all forms of discrimination and ensuring that we build a sound educational, health and social welfare system.

Declarations must translate into a new commitment geared to building national unity. Lets work towards a national indaba.

Kadar Asmal is at least a populalist and wosrt an apologist of the establisment. He remained silent when a minister of police said the police should 'shoot' to kill robbers.If one abhors violence out of principle and conviction he should do so consistently and at all times regardless of who perpatrates the violence whether its Mugabe or Malema.Period.

Thank you Professor Asmal. Your statement expresses my own views precisely. I wholeheartedly endorse your statement.
Delia Riordan

Come on! Yet another puffed-up, pious "grand declaration"? Why bother? The members of Asmal's own party who have offended him and mocked his equally-pious Constitution aren't going to care a fig for all these bits of paper being flashed around. At least the Constitution has the force of law. Asmal's latest Declaration is mere self-indulgent claptrap. He would do far better to speak to his own stumbling party leadership and tell them they're all doing a truly dreadful job of upholding the law. So bad, in fact, that the entire nation is living under siege of lawbreakers no matter how grand the Constitution looks on paper. And that the apartheid regime which preceded theirs really out-performed theirs by miles and miles.

All these paper tigers carving their names onto pulped sheets have as always been so busy with their images they seem to have missed, deliberately perhaps, the thrust of the words, "We will kill".
Just who exactly are these they will kill?
Democratic Party members? They have little choice on Zuma.No need to kill them.
Inkatha? As well, little choice.
ACDP?
The rest of the minority parties? Nope.
The public at large? Seems unlikely.
So who then will they kill?
Only those in the ANC left to kill. It would seem.

Et tu, Brutus.

Des Currie

I support this declaration irrespective of whether by itself it will change anything. The declaration calls on people to recommit themselves to actively defend the values of the Constitution in the face of the cheapening of South Africa's struggle by a new generation of opportunist 'leadership'. It is a warning which implictly highlights the accelerating Zanufication of the ANC and the increasing tendency to mask policy implementation failures with aggressive and threatening discourse. We urgently need a new generation of ethical leadership - people who can redirect and strengthen our faltering institutions and innovate to overcome our mounting social and development deficit.

I entirely subscribe to Prof Asmal's explanation of the issue and his conclusions. It does not deny youth or trade union leaders' right to be passionate about their convictions. It only asserts that nothing prevents us from expressing passionate views by way of the processes and institutions that were so painstakingly crafted in 1991-1993 and embodied in the current Constitution. We are streets ahead of many countries in terms of democratic space. We have huge unsolved problems and need to use that democratic space wisely in seeking to resolve our problems - not resort to thuggish threats.

I support the declaration because I deeply believe in tolerance, pluralism, and non-violent and creative management of conflict. I am commited to our Constitution and believe that it is the bedrock that can secure our collective future in South Africa. David Shandler

I support this Declaration 100% although it worries me that it is coming from the same political party and tr-partite alliance that are guilty of making these treasonous, horrendous and inflammatory statements in the first place! It all smacks of extremely poor competency as leaders of a magnificent and God-given country, as well as extremely poor management and communication skills. Our leaders have let us down as a nation and have shamed our great Madiba who is honoured the world over. Shame on the lot of you!

I support Kader Asmal’s petition without reservation.

Many of the comments made here are from people who clearly express a more general antagonism to the ANC. I do not believe that this is the time and place to engage those views. My comments are those of a traditional ANC supporter in support of a position of a respected ANC veteran. It is also the comments of a person with a Trades Unionist background, incensed that another Trades Unionist could do something that undermines our gains and sets a poor example for our youth.

I joined the struggle as a young boy and served in all the ranks of the three constituent organisations of the Alliance. I cut my teeth as a young worker in the Trades Union movement in its most difficult days. I also served as a full time cadre for many years in the liberation movement which I joined 37 years ago.

Although not highly active in politics at this point in my life I fully support the democratic processes of the ANC and stand united behind the will of its members. I also continue to be engaged in grassroots community service. Whatever positions any ANC member expressed in terms of favoured candidates pre-Polokwane, the electorate has spoken and in the tradition of the ANC I support the elected leadership and the ANC President Comrade Jacob Zuma. I believe that we have a great opportunity to go to the electorate next year with a strong pro-poor message, a message promoting a united South Africa and a message to stop crime and violence in its tracks. Within the movement this can only happen if we seize this time to heal divisions that naturally occur in inner-party contestation politics. Only immature factionalists will continue to fan personality politics to the detriment of the ANC, regardless of whatever personality loyalty to which they lay claim. South Africa needs us to renew a waning confidence in the ANC. South Africa needs an ANC that can unite our people across racial divides, ethnic divides and can bridge the huge chasm that exists between haves and have nots.

Having said this, there is neither the need nor can it be justified, to be rattling sabres and indulging in any form of war talk or martyrdom talk. This is particularly irresponsible in a climate of intolerance, tension and violence.

The messages sent are also a threat and challenge to the very system that the South African people established. A system that we paid for in struggle and blood. It is no good telling us that we are misinterpreting the words as we have enough years of experience under highly capable leaders such as OR Tambo to know otherwise. OR Tambo would have had Comrades Malema and Vavi on the carpet for the most unwise words uttered. I witnessed him do just that on numerous occasions when comrades overstepped the mark.

In our conduct of armed struggle, everything done and said was not done lightly or to look like tough guys. The ANC cautiously adopted armed struggle and was careful in conducting it. We signed the Geneva Protocols and OR Tambo carefully managed our commitment to it. This present ridiculous, self-serving war talk is an insult to this great man and an insult to those who lost their lives in a time of real war. Turning fellow comrades into enemies is also ridiculous when we have real problems to deal with posing a real threat. The liberation war ultimately gave us our new constitution, our executive government, our legislatures and our courts, and should not be belittled by people who find it sexy to sing and shout war slogans. Who the hell gives any individual comrade the right to threaten these institutions with war talk. It is time for all of us to agree to no more war-time songs and slogans.

Our ANC President and probable future President of South Africa does not need misguided fans of this type. Our leadership needs to be respected in a different more disciplined manner. Even now as our leaders attempt to bring peace and discipline to the movement, before a really important national election, the immature forces continue to fan division.

The culture of our movement is rooted in a deeper freedom of expression, to which such war talk also poses a threat. The interpretation of the term 'discipline' itself is threatened to become warped and militaristic. This warping can also fuel intolerance of discussing ideas, perspectives and the engaging in necessary discourse both within and outside of the movement. We need to gaurd against the ignoring of basic behavioural discipline (norms) and traditions associated with any serious organisation where decisions are respected. But we must be careful that this is not equated with military discipline that shuts down discussion in a militaristic, feudal and threatening fear evoking manner.

The ANC President has a case before the courts and he has an able legal team which has done well in his defence over some time. The courts is where that case belongs, without any interference from supporters. Neither the ANC nor the President has asked nor encouraged any political or trades union organisation to get involved nor undermine this process. It is sheer stupidity for senior people in any of the movements formations to indulge in crossing the lines between the political judicial arenas. With this background it is tantamount to undermining both the ANC President in his difficult and drawn out legal process and, undermining of our constitution. Political maturity would show an understanding of such finer points. Immaturity and the undermining of the judiciary has been displayed by both fans and detractors of the ANC President – and both need to abide by the ultimate decisions of the courts.

In the case of Comrade Malema, his statements was clearly a case of youthful political immaturity, lack of political education and a lack of understanding of the deeper principles of the ANC. It was playing to a gallery. These can be addressed over time by the efforts and interventions of more senior comrades and the ANC leadership. It is heartening to see that the ANC leadership has swiftly engaged the Youth League on some of the ANC behavioural fundamentals that have become casualty in recent times. Hopefully with some reflection Comrade Malema will step up to the plate, do the right thing and send a message to the broad South African public as well as the many ANC members and supporters who were troubled by his remarks. A first step in respecting the leadership position to which he was elected by his peers, should be to show the public that he respects the ANC leadership who have gently but firmly pressed home that the ANC fundamentals and the constitutional fundamentals of South Africa must be respected. It is clear cut that the right thing to do is to apologise. It certainly will demonstrate both maturity and respect for the senior leadership and veterans of the movement to make such an apology. Needless to say, continued defence of the words in question, sends out a message that the opposite is true.

In the case of Comrade Vavi, the immaturity of youth cannot be argued. Additionally his utterances occurred after senior voices in the ANC and the human rights commission had already expressed discomfort with Comrade Malema’s statement. Indeed it occurred after Comrade Malema, on the national TV news, stated that he had learned from this episode that he needs to chose his words more clearly. Comrade Vavi made a contemptuous, calculated, and inflammatory statement with sectarian overtones that is harmful to the ANC, harmful to the ANC President, and harmful to South Africa and all that our people have achieved through the struggle. In the old days we would have equated this with provocateurs. It certainly has no left or progressive tone to it and plays into the hands of the right wing elements. The people of South Africa adopted a constitution and adopted a framework of separation of powers in which the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental part. Any threat to the constitution, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary can only be seen as a threat to democracy and the expressed will of the people.

Comrade Vavi can never have a mandate to stand on the platform of the workers of South Africa to make statements that undermine our unity and the constitution which we fought so hard to attain. In 1973 we watched how the Popular Unity Government in Chile, was overthrown by soldiers supported by elements in the trades unions trained by the AFL-CIO and ICFTU. As someone with a strong background in Trades Union activity who draws on lessons of the past I would say that we need to guard against provocateurs that play into the hands of those who peddle ‘divide and rule’. Trades Union leaders have a great responsibility within the liberation movement to guard our gains, not to undermine these.

The statement in question should be retracted or the full weight of the law should be brought to bear to discourage any slide towards fascism and mindless factionalism, because that is where such outbursts will lead us. South Africa and its poor and working people need leaders of the calibre of Kotane, Mabhida, Dadoo and Slovo who chose their words carefully and guided us to make steady gains. They were not noisy gongs, nor did they simply shout out hollow angry slogans or play dangerous tin-soldier games. Let us not destroy the great foundations laid by our leadership giants. They were revolutionaries in deeds and not by using silly phrases. Come on Comrade Vavi, its not too late to show some humility and real leadership. Never mind how many meanings one gives to the statement made. It is harmful and inflammatory and none of our leaders need that kind of defence.

I repeat that I support Kader Asmal’s petition unreservedly. South Africans across the different political divides must stand firm and together in holding a line on what is the founding principles of post-Apartheid South Africa.

The tremendous strides our country made in the early days of change are truly being subjected to tests beyond the imagination

I sincerely hope that a form of justice will prevail that will rise above these political aspirations of people who are using inflammatory statements to access power in the same manor as all the great dictators have done over the years including those who run Zimbabwe

It will truly be a sad day when the greatness of our nation is sublimated by the petty mutterings of a few who have had no real hope of ever attaining real political power except through the threat of violence and blood which we all had hoped was going to say in the criminal sector and not become another tool to subjugate a nation again

We have a vote, therefore we had all better use it very wisely soon or suffer the consequences of a return to passionate hatred against skin colour and prejudice against a person beliefs

I mean who can possibly see relevance in a communist party that greatly eschews the virtues of capitalism in all its forms include those mentioned by George Orwell

I fully endorse the sentiments expressed by Kader Asmal and others who have posted comments. It is very disturbing when key figures like the youth leader and a leader of the largest trade union federation threaten one of the fudamental premises of our Constitution: that of the rule of law and independence of the judiciary. Such threats jeopardise the sanctity of the Constitution and the safety of all South Africans.

Don O'Dougherty

I would like to express full support to Professor's Asmal appeal. Many reasons have been given already so that I can only happily undersign Kader's appeal without repeating them. Below this support there is a dramatic approval of the achievements of SA democracy in the last 14 years. I was celebrating Mandela's birthday/legacy in Hyde Park three days ago, with my two young south african children and wife and felt the need to give our support to Kader's appeal. Kader who always acts as the necessary whistleblower. Thanks for doing it again .
Emanuele
Emanuele Giovannetti
Professor of Economics Univesity of Verona and Senior Economist OFT London, formerly Professor at UCT
These views only reflect my personal feelings and do not involve any of the institutions I am currently working for.

We support this declaration.

Josua & Azélle Joubert

We support the declaration.
Phiroshaw Camay: Co-operative for Research and Education

We support this declaration.

Phiroshaw Camay: Network Against Child Labour

We support this declaration.

Phiroshaw Camay: Community Education Computer Society

Those who drafted our constitution drafted a document that saught to correct past inequalities with future inequalities. When we have a society that places the rights of all individuals above the rights of all institutions and groups of people of whatsoever nature, where all are treated on merit and with equal and adequate dignity, and are allowed to succeed to the best of their ability, then we will have a society that is healing itself. This is possible only in a libertarian society. I blog at http://www.libertarian.iblog.co.za/ to promote libertarian ideals. x

I support this declaration 100%.

Please add my name in support of this very important declaration.

Alida van der Westhuizen

I agree fully with Asmal's statement and support it. But the irresponsible statements by Vavi and Mamela should not be seen in isolation. While Jacob Zuma is trying his best to avoid his day in court he is not repudiating people who threaten violence in his name. The letter from his legal counsellor to the Constitutional Court seems to be the first step in a campaign to attack the integrity and impartiality of that court. Putting all of this together it must be clear what threat Zuma and his most vocal supporters are to the values enshrined in our constitution.

I fully support this declaration

I support this statement

The dangerous rhetoric undulged in by these twi individuals is uncivilised and unacceptable. They and their kind should hold no position of authority in any organisation. They embarrass our country, and fail our people by chasing away investors.

I support the declaration.

Anton Steenkamp, attorney, Cape Town.

I fully support Professor Asmal. This is such an important time for South Africa. We need a shared vision of a South Africa in which it is safe for all to live together, regardless of our differences. We need to move forward not on a basis of fear and distrust, but of trust and tolerance. We need more love and less anger. We need to respect and defend our fine Constitution.

I agree with Kader Asmal, this is the one area that we need to protect no matter what. See what happened in Zim when the very fabric of society was not protected. The HRC sies man!

Dear Kader Asmal,
I fully support your declaration. This may well be the most pivotal point in our history. If we fail to support this declaration, everything we have worked for could be lost.
Louis Liebenberg
Noordhoek

FULLY SUPPORTIVE of 'A Declaration in Defence of the Constitution'
Ivan May

I support this declaration. We must stand together to defend the Constitution. Helen Zille

I support the declaration.

Elize Koch

I fully support this declaration. It is time for another united democratic movement to be mobilised.

I support this Declaration for its intrinsic value and because it reflects the seriousness of the situation and the justified concern of all civilised people.

As an educator and long-term observer of our political scene, I wholeheartedly endorse Professor Asmal's declaration, and urge all other like-minded South Africans to do so. We live in times of crisis where the values of our exemplary and most hard-earned constitution are under threat.

Mario Fernandez, Cape Town

I support this declaration. I do not care who is in charge as long as they have our best interests at heart. We must stand together to make this a better South Africa for all! JLE

I fully endorse the Declaration in Defence of our Constitution, the foundation of our democratic country. It is in the interest of every South African to defend the Constitution to ensure that a just, equitable and democratic society based on the rule of law and on human rights principles prevails. Ahmed Motala, Human Rights Activist

I fully support this declaration

We support the Declaration in Defense of the Constitution. Phumi Mtetwa (Lesbian and Gay Equality Project)

I support this declaration
Bryan Ashe

The most powerful tool we have to protect our constitution and democracy is our vote.
It is important that the educated in this country take the lead in breaking the blind allegiance to the main liberation movement.
We have to create an effective opposition to keep in check the excesses of the ANC.
P. MAKAN

I fully support and endorse the Declaration. Anne Stanton

Dear Prof Asmal
Thank you for this courageous and far sighted initiative. There is no more important task for all South Africans than to defend our constitution, nurture our democarcy, and contribute to the condemnation and elimination of crime in our society. The expunging of every facet of democracy and the brutal violence inflicted on the people of Zimbabwe by so called former liberation struggle heroes turned into ruthless tyrants is a warning of what may be in store for us if we are not vigilant, critical citizens of this country. The public articulation of wanting to "kill" in defence of one's sectarian political agenda is a signal that we ignore at our peril. Let us support Prof Asmal's declarion in our millions.
Jairam Reddy, Director United Nations University, International Leadership Institute, Amman, Jordan

I fully support this declaration. I think it admirable that the Professor has the courage to publically stand up for what is right as opposed to blindly following the party and governmental line.

Roy Esterhuizen

I weigh my full support in defense of the constitution and this initiative.

I fully support this declaration.

I wanted to express my thanks to all of you for your efforts to continue the evolution of a racist and violent free world society. My personal praise and thanks to Mr. Mandella and Mr. de Klerk for all their efforts and personal sacrifices in fulfilling their missions on earth to do "the right thing".
Regards,
Nancy S
American citizen

Thank you for your leadership Prof Asmal! As a constitutional democrat I fully support this declaration. Marianne Camerer, Durban.

When I first read about this declaration I was most heartened; likewise by the report in last Sunday's press that Kader Asmal is initiating a new, non-aligned rights body.

I was heartened because this was a positive, democratic reaction to a worrying, undemocratic tendency in state since Mbeki took the reigns: in recent years there were the following signs of undermining of our independent judiciary and prosecuting authority, and of the inappropriate influence by business and penetration by organised crime, of the state: the cover up of the arms deal; the revelations of a prima facie case of racketeering against Jacob Zuma; the conflict of interest of John Hlophe, Western Cape judge president, arising from working for an outside company and then making a ruling in its favour; the response of Zuma supporters at his rape trial; the revelations of how organised crime, through the machinations of people like Kebble, have been able to bribe the national police commissioner; "Travelgate" and the sweeping under the carpet of the outrageous and criminal misuse of public funds; the police blocking the Scorpion's investigation of Jackie Selebi, the national police commissioner; the suspension of Vusi Pikoli, clearly for persisting with warrants of arrest for Selebi; and, the disbanding of the Scorpions.

If we continue down this path as a society we are likely to end up with a situation where there is greatly diminished respect and protection for fundamental human rights like free speech and association including the right to a confidential vote in elections.

The current ANC leadership is clearly organising to consolidate its power and position by doing its damnedest to keep its president out of court, and it does this inter alia by maligning and slandering people in the judiciary and political opposition (both within and outside of the ANC). Instead, if they were responsible leaders, sincerely offering a new approach different from Mbeki's, they would be defending the independence of our courts and prosecuting authority and focusing on the appropriate policies to deal with pressing issues like unemployment, HIV/Aids and xenophobia. But one hears only from them that they will follow existing ANC policies, which need to be more effectively implemented.

As one of the respondents to this welcome initiative by Asmal has noted, all it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing. The ANC has an enormous majority and after the next election might implement regulations and laws that further undermine an independent judiciary and prosecuting authority. From that point it is a short step to circumscribing the freedom of the press. And under cover of censorship powerful people can act with impunity, for better or worse.

History shows us that the slide to a repressive, fascist state can be quite rapid, and with devastating consequences for many people: Stalinist Russia, Nazi Germany, and closer to home, Zimbabwe. Those of us who can see what is happening and who know the underlying threats that lurk behind the statements of Vavi and Malema, need to act now. Talking with each other and spreading a criticism of the dominant ANC discourse currently is a form of political action because it aims to delegitimise these anti-democratic actions and should lead to democratic practices. It will be important to engage in these conversations and the democratic practices that come out of them at all levels, within the ANC and without, and particularly in organs of civil society (trade unions, community organisations, educational institutions, NGOs, businesses, etc).

Accompanying our drift to the current state that we find ourselves in has been the increasing atomistation of society and the disempowering of grassroots labour and community organisations, as Mbeki's policies emphasised the establishment and consolidation of a bureacratic bourgeosie. This class sits in the state, has its hands on the levers of state power at various levels, and is using this position to accumulate wealth through what is essentially a parasitic process: bribes are solicited to give corporations and other entities access to state funded business; some of these entities operate beyond the law, as the Kebble-Selebi affair demontrates.

What we as democrats need to do is to act in such a manner to disperse power to the disempowered sectors of society so that they are better capacitated in the struggle for their material needs and human dignity. We have a tradition of this, not so long ago, during the 1970s and the 1980s, which was a precondition for the democratic changes that took place in the early 1990s. We should return to the roots of that tradition, which was about grassroots people's power, and use that to oppose the current drift towards a state that is less sensitive to the needs of its citizens and more and more focused on accumulating capital for the class with political power.

I support the declaration.
Leslie Liddell

I salute Kader Asmal and all signatories to this declaration. Defence of our constitution and the rule of law is the greatest challenge facing all South Africans today.

Christopher Merrett
Pietermaritzburg

What a nice piece of propaganda - Kader Asmal's strong point.

The same Kader Asmal who used his tenure as education minister to convert the education system into an instrument of ideological indoctrination (in perfect accordance with the ANC's Strategy and Tactics document). In the process, treading rough-shod on the education, religious, and conscience rights in the same contitution he now flies as a tattered flag.

If the ANCYL now circumvent, massage, or simply ignore the constitution, it was Asmal who showed them how.

His present pious protestations show him to be simply a revoultionary who holds that if one controls the minds of the people, one can dispense with violence. He differs from the ANCYL not in purpose but only in method.

In this context, Helen Zille's enthusiastic support is most fitting. As provincial minister of education she also showed scant regard for the child's right to parental care and for the child's best interest, insisting on excercising ownership of children in precisely the same way Asmal did.

Nice pair they make, the two of them.

Leendert van Oostrum
Pestalozzi Trust legal defence fund for freedom in education

I support the declaration
Dawn Wyngaard

I support the declaration, for its noble objectives. The real threat to our constitutional democracy must not be underestimated as war clouds gather amidst utterances by the "new revolutionaries" intent on "taking the spills of war", to "kill", "shoot to kill, "eliminate ... without mercy" all the counter-revolutionaries of Jacob Zuma, amidst a renewed strategy of Cosatu and the Communist Party and organised crime syndicates, upholding the constitutional order in South Africa will be achieved only by opposing these revolutionaries will the full force of law and if that does not help, then war is the only answer!

In support of the declaration, we must understand what the Mongolian herdsman learnt, many years ago, when trying to understand the power of the wolves and the pivotal role they fulfil in that robust and unforgiving part of the world: "Peace does not follow Peace, but Danger always follows Danger" [Wolf Totem: Jiang Rong] This assumption is valid today still where the constitutional democratic order is threatened!

As a long-standing and loyal member of the ANC, I strongly support Cde Kader Asmal's "Declaration in Defence of the Constitution".

Sally Gross

I fully support this declaration in support of our constitution. It is heartening to receive wise leadership from a respected member of the ANC, and a struggle icon.The erosion of our civil society and organs of state is deeply worrying to all South Africans of moral standing, and we feel so powerless to effect change.

I congratulate Professor Asmal on this initiative. It comes at an important point in our history. We seem to be entering a period when intolerance is becoming accepted as a new norm and hostile and violent utterances are condoned and even applauded. South Africa needs peace and its citizens need to work together to create a climate of mutual acceptance, discussion and harmony. This declaration is an opportunity to commit to a particular vision of South Africa - non-racial, peaceful and democratic.

Robert Morrell

I fully support this decleration.

I support this declaration.

I wholeheartedly support this declaration and its signatories.

The Constitution and judicial independence; both under the spotlight and both significant cornerstones in the creation of our democracy…It is imperative that every South African, in order to maintain the superlative qualities of our unique country, stands up and speaks out against violations of identity, of character, of choice and most importantly of human rights.

I fully support this declaration.

I support this statement

Victoria Emslie

I fully support the initiative brought about by prof.Kader Asmal
Fellow South Africans, I urge you to support it too?
If you stand for something, chances are, you won't just fall for anything.

I fully support this declaration.
Sbongile Mbiko

I am prepared to kill and die in defense of the constitution. ;) Seriously though, I'd far rather perish in defense of principles than of specific persons.

I so agree with Prof Asmal and would love to see a new political party led by Prof Asmal and other men and women of his calibre.

Commandment no 6. THOU SHALT NOT MURDER. Ex 20 vs 13. No : if's or buts... just NEVER ever, under any circumstances. Or you'll not only have the Law after you, but the Lord too! And that's a terrifying position to place oneself in.

The actions of the ANCYL and COSATU leaders are giving us a chilling insight into the possible future of this country in the same vein as a ZANU-PF lead Zimbabwe. When are the actual leaders of this country going to take a moral stand on such matters, denounce them for the inflammatory remarks that they are, and take actual actions against such utterances. What would would happen if right wing afrikaners started taking a similar standpoint against persons such as Eugene Terreblance. I Shudder to think.

Won't professor Asmal please announce his candidacy for the presidency?

I support this statement of Professor Asmal.

Our Constitution has been hailed with words such as "the best in the world" - are we going to allow a few power hungry political wannabees to undo such a great creation? Are we as South Africans going to allow such people to tear our Country into pieces and be part of the "African story". As a white South African committed to the land of my forefathers I support our constitution and join hands with those who wants to see this country succeed on a contitent where the odds are stacked against it. We do NOT need powerhungry leaders that wants to retain political power "at all cost" we need leaders that want a better life for all - including their own children and grand children.
We need people to start acting together for the better South Africa - the place people Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, and every other law abiding South African call "HOME"

I am in full support of Prof. Asmal's Declaration in Defence of the National Constitution.

As South Africans we are faced daily with a barrage of negativity, be it from sources within the public or private sectors. We face the continuous angst of inflation at an unprecidented rate of increase, the abuse of power within the bastions of the very authorities that are in place to maintain law and order as well as national security. We are innundated from hour to hour with news of yet another murder, another rape, more abuse of women and children, another senseless mootey killing, atm bombings and "cash in transit heists".

These are spheres of civil society that exist independantly of government, police, judiciary, etc. be they individual or organized they need to be addressed by people in positions of power that are effectively equipped to deal with such issues. How can we allow the advocates of violence to quell the very element that they stand ignorantly in defence of?
I raise the issue of the ANC's wishing to disemble the Scorpions. Were there not constitutionsl provisors for such action to have never even become raised as a consideration let alone in fact effected. How could our people simply sit on the sidelines and accept this. We are a complacent nation to our own detriment.

We, as the people of this magnificent land, ought to make full use of our constitutional right to freedom of speech, freedom of expression etc. and through forums like this and others perhaps more overtly public, to stand in support of Professor Asmal and this declaration. In so doing, we need to eradicate the elements that exist in governmental structures that are advocating the use of violence to attain politcal eventuality. If we have people within the structures, designed to protect and empower, that are even extended a sigh of tolerance from their fellow administrators, then we are doomed.

I am a South African born male who has been resident in Cape Town for nearly twenty years after having been educated in Canada during the 1980's. In the time since my arrival back home,I have personally been a victim of violent crime on 4 occassions, a victim of unfair and unjust slander and heresay, and petty crime and have indirectly been subjected to a further two violent crime incidents on a family level as well as a vehicle theft. I am merely a drop in the tumultuous Atlantic. I am the average man in the street.

If we do not stand in support of this declaration then we, as the South African public will be solely responsible for our country's untimely demise.

Graeme Stuart Goslin
CitiesCape Construction ( Director )

I support this declaration.

Leonard Stoch

I fully support this declaration. I have also posted a refewrence to the support for it by the FW de Klerk foundation on the facebook group Defend the Constitution of South Africa.

The time for reactivating activism has come.

Aluta Continua!

Professor Erwin Schwella

We pledge full support for the declaration

I fully support this declaration

James Rodger

I fully support this declaration

Rolfe Eberhard